


Never fade away

by Velvet_Velour



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Body Horror, Consent Issues, Dysfunctional Relationships, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Language, M/M, Male V (Cyberpunk 2077), Not Beta Read, Sexual Content, Street Kid V (Cyberpunk 2077), Unhealthy Relationships, Vampires, Werewolves, World of Darkness, implied past Rogue/Johnny, includes also minor Evelyn/Yorinobu Arasaka, mentioned past Alt/Johnny, vomiting (non graphic)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-21 07:14:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30018084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Velvet_Velour/pseuds/Velvet_Velour
Summary: A young streetkid called V is hired to steal a strange artefact from a man people in Night City call the Emperor – Saburo Arasaka. From what V knows Arasaka is some rich, old businessman who has the whole NC in his pocket.What V doesn’t know is that this job will change him forever.---Cyberpunk 2077 AU inspired by World of Darkness/Vampire the Masquerade
Relationships: Evelyn Parker & Mateo Thiago, Goro Takemura/Viktor Vector, Johnny Silverhand & V, Johnny Silverhand/V, Judy Alvarez/Evelyn Parker, Judy Alvarez/Panam Palmer, Kerry Eurodyne/Johnny Silverhand, Mateo Thiago/V, Rogue Amendiares/Alt Cunningham, Sandayu Oda & Goro Takemura
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	1. Broken crown

> _Thou shall not reveal thy true nature to those not of the Blood._
> 
> _Doing such shall renounce thy claims of Blood._
> 
> \--- FIRST TRADITION: THE MASQUERADE

* * *

The man he sees in the mirror looks worse than he imagined.

V stares at his reflection, bruises on his face, a split lip, dirty clothes. He carefully touches his nose with his fingertips (that’s where that Maelstrom punched him, and the guy knew how to punch) and lets out a string of curses when pain explodes in his head. He wipes a tickle of blood running from his nose with his sleeve. The jacket’s ruined anyway, V can’t remember if he has any clean clothes back in his apartment. Maybe that pile of dirty clothes he left on the bathroom floor magically took care of itself.

He lets out a sigh and turns to a bartender pouring him another drink. He thanks with a nod, empties the glass in one gulp, and hisses.

“Rough night?” Pepe asks as he refills V’s glass again. He’s worked as the bartender here for as long as V can remember.

It's getting close to midnight and it's another night in _El Coyote Cojo_ bar. The place is filled with regulars. None of them pay V much attention; he’s not the only beaten up streetkid who likes to hang out in this bar.

“Don’t even ask,” V shakes his head, careful not to move too much. He can already feel a headache approaching.

His phone beeps. He takes it out of his pocket; the screen is broken in so many places he can barely see the text.

[ **Jackie** : _waiting outside_ ]

He shouldn’t mix aspirin with alcohol, and that’s exactly what Pepe tells him when he hands V the pills, but he _also_ should have been smarter and ignore those Maelstrom fucks when they tried to provoke him. They act like they own the city and that pisses V off like nothing else. He doesn’t know what’s he deal with them but lately they’re getting more and more cocky, claiming more territory from other gangs. And V be damned if he allows the whole city to be under their control.

That’s just one of many bad decisions V makes tonight. Hopefully the meeting goes better. According to Jackie it’s supposed to be V’s _Big Break_. V isn’t so sure about that now as he’s trying to numb the pain of his broken nose with cheap liquor –that’s the only kind of alcohol he can afford right now. When V gets up to leave Pepe doesn’t forget to remind him about his growing bar tab.

“You know I’ll pay you back, Pepe. You’ve saved my ass many times, I won’t forget that.” He puts a hand to his head in a mock salute.

“Uh–huh,” a slight frown appears between the bartender’s brows. “Don’t get yourself killed first, kid.”

“See ya around, boss!”

Pepe waves him a goodbye. There’s a hint of worry in his eyes. V decides it’s best to ignore that but he makes a mental note to himself to text Pepe later and tell him all about his successful gig once that’s over and done.

V gets inside Jackie’s car, the man gives him a look and whistles. “Trouble always finds you first, V.”

V shrugs, not in the mood to explain his dirty, bloody clothes and a broken nose. He briefly considers asking Jackie to drive to his apartment so he could grab a change of clothes, then again the chance he has anything suitable for the meeting is very low.

“Just got this shirt the other day, now I gotta throw it in the trash.”

Jackie turns his head to look at him, one eyebrow raised. Faded scars on his face and his burly physique make him look intimidating. The kind of guy others don’t want to mess with. Despite his menacing looks, he’s one of the friendliest people V’s known in his life. Having someone he can trust is a big advantage in Night City.

“Didn’t know you’re a fan of Samurai.” Jackie says, nodding at V’s tank top. Then his eyes are back on the road. The streets are rather empty, not much traffic at night. Still it’s better to be careful. Night City never sleeps.

“No idea what that is, I just liked the logo,” V admits. He pulls on the fabric to have a better look at the graphic on his shirt.

Jackie chuckles. “I see. They do have a cool logo. Samurai was a band in the 80s. They were pretty popular here in Night City. Until their lead singer died, that is. _Chippin’ In_ , _Never Fade Away_. Catchy songs.”

V can’t say he knows anything about them. Maybe he’ll find some time after this Big Job to listen to the songs Jackie mentioned. If Jackie can recognize a band from the 80s that means they have to be good. V’s not that sure how old his friend is, though he can’t be that much older than V. Somewhere in his 30s, a bit older than V who just turned 28.

Jackie parks the car in a parking in front of a building with a big neon sign. Yellow letters spell out the name of the club, _Afterlife_. People stand by the door, either smoking or waiting, some talking on their phones or with bottles of beer in hands. V gets out of the car, looks around curiously. He’s never been here before, and the place doesn’t look like any other club he’s visited. For starters, the building it’s in looks like any regular place, only the neon sign and people gathered outside are an indication it’s not just another apartment complex. And there’s no door, the entrance open to reveal a staircase.

Jackie pats him on the back “You nervous?”

V follows him down the stairs. “Nah, just curious about the place, I guess. You’ve been here before?”

V is one of many streetkids from the city (hopefully that’ll change), while from what he knows Jackie deals with more serious things – meaning he most likely met some important people. And important people don’t choose dumps like _El Coyote Cojo_ , they choose _Afterlife_.

Jackie nods. “This is where serious biz happens. Before it was a club, this place used to be a mortuary."

That explains the odd location though it’s hard to believe it now that V looks around. The basement is where the club’s located. The interior drastically changes once they go through heavy doors. Lights on the floor make a path leading them to another door, this time guarded by a muscular bouncer.

After a quick talk, Jacking explaining they have a meeting with Dexter DeShawn, the bouncer looks V up and down before letting them in. They step inside the club and V takes a deep breath.

_This place is serious, alright._

There’s so much to take in V doesn’t know where to look first, his senses bombarded with all kinds of stimuli. The music is loud but thankfully not too loud so his beaten and bruised head can still tolerate this level of noise. There are lights everywhere, illuminating the main floor and people dancing, chatting, drinking or ogling scantily clad performers dancing in cages. The air is filled with smells of alcohol, heavy perfume, sweat and smoke. V follows Jackie around, trying not to turn his head in every direction.

At first V thinks they’re going to have the meeting in one of the private booths on the other side of the dance floor. Although separated from the more public area, and offering more privacy than the couches most guests are sitting on, the booths are still open and visible to everyone else. V’s not that surprised Jackie leads him through another set of door to another part of the club. They walk through a corridor with many doors – from what V can tell they are rooms separated from each other, offering the most privacy one can get in this club. Someone left one door partially open, loud laughter is coming from the room. V peeks inside to see three corpos drinking, spilling liquor everywhere, and throwing eurodollar bills on a dancer shaking her body for them on a small table.

_That’s one way to spend the night…_ He wishes he had some eddies to waste like that. Unfortunately his pockets are empty. But that’s about to change.

“After you.” Jackie winks at V when they finally arrive at the very last door.

V walks inside a small booth similar to the one he saw before, though noticeably bigger. The interior is dark, with two black couches, a dark armchair and a small table. The only source of light are strips of LED lights on black walls. On the table lays a big suitcase, a silver tray with a bottle and four glasses. On the couch opposite the door sits Dexter DeShawn with a cigarette in hand. Even though it’s night outside he’s wearing shades. V has never seen the man without them. At the sight of his guests a pleased smile appears on his lips.

“Glad to see you two could join us.” He puffs out a big cloud of smoke. His golden jewellery glistens in the LED lights.

V’s done some jobs for the man before. DeShawn is one of the best fixers in the city and pays well. Usually they only talked on the phone, Dex sent him more details, and left the rest to V. So far DeShawn hasn’t told him a thing about this gig, only that’s supposed to change his life. Jackie seems excited about it. V needs more convincing.

“Whole family in one place! Hah! Finally!” Jackie says and sits on the other couch, next to one more person who’s with them in the booth – a woman with a shaved head. She’s dressed in a black coat buttoned all the way up.

V takes a seat. With the door closed he can’t hear the music from upstairs anymore. There’s a small feeling at the back of his head, a silly thought – with the other three looking right at him, V feels like he’s in a cage with lions ready to pounce at him.

“Here’s a special something to ease your minds.” DeShawn takes another drag. He leans in to grab a bottle from the table and pours liquor to a glass he then offers to V.

V takes it without thinking, but just when he wants to ask, _What about the rest?,_ wondering why he’s the only one with a drink in hand, he feels the need to drink. He empties half of the glass in one gulp. The wine tastes incredible, like nothing else he’s ever tasted.

He stares at the red liquid in his glass, feels Dex’s eyes on him. He lifts up his head, feeling a bit lightheaded. It’s odd, he doesn’t get drunk that fast. Maybe he should have grabbed a bite before coming here; drinking on an empty stomach is never a good idea. When he looks at the others they already have glasses in their hands. V blinks, a wave of uncertainty washes over him. It feels like he missed a longer moment, like his mind turned off for a bit and then rebooted.

He takes a breath. Maybe the Maelstrom guys hit him in the head harder than he realized.

“I’m not a guy who likes to waste time, so let’s go over the plan.”

V’s attention returns to Dexter.

“This is the best job you’ll ever get, and I trust you enough to know we can pull it off.” DeShawn’s eyes are on V, watching him like a hawk. “Your job is to get inside Arasaka Tower, all the way to the top, and snatch one small thing from Saburo Arasaka’s personal apartment.”

V leans forward, his brows furrowed. “You want me to steal from the fucking Emperor?”

There are people who have a certain reputation in Night City. Living legends, powerful figures who rule the city. Saburo Arasaka is at the top of the food chain despite being not even old but ancient at this point. At times V wonders if the guy’s still alive, if his name isn’t simply used to keep people in check while the real Arasaka is long dead and gone.

Living on the streets of Night City V acquired a particular set of skills. He’s stolen cars, broken into places, did many different things because this is the reality he is living in. He is good at what he does, at being a thief and a criminal if needed. But stealing from _the_ Saburo Arasaka? That’s a completely different level than what he’s used to.

Dex exhales another cloud of smoke. “Don’t worry, V. We’ve got it all figured out.”

_I fucking doubt it._

Dex nods at T–Bug who reaches for the suitcase to open it. Inside, there are two IDs a small device that looks like a miniature screen with a numerical keyboard.

“It all cost me lotsa money so you better listen closely now because if anythin’ goes wrong it’s your head on the chopping block.” DeShawn picks up his phone, clicks on the screen and shows it to others. “What I want you to steal is this little thing.”

V narrows his eyes at the screen. What he sees is a vase or an urn of sorts, looking like some old artefact straight from a museum.

“What is this? An urn with Arasaka’s ashes?” He jokes like he always does when he gets nervous. It’s a terrible habit. “ You mean to tell us the old man is really dead and you want to prove it when you get his ashes?”

Dex’s booming laughter echoes between the walls. “Don’t trouble your pretty little head with all these questions. The less you know the better.” He hides the phone back in the pocket of his shirt. “I want that urn, Saburo Arasaka has it hidden in his penthouse on top of Arasaka Tower, and you three are going to get it for me.”

V glances at Jackie. “Don’t you think it’s a suicide mission?”

Jackie smiles. “I think we’re going to be the richest motherfuckers in Night City when we get that urn to Dex. Trust me on this one, V. It’s a good offer.”

“A voice of reason! Thank you, mister Welles,” Dex nods at the man.

V observes Jackie for a longer while. There’s something strange in the way he looks at V. Jackie’s eyes seem to shine in the dim light of the room.

V shouldn’t doubt him.

V glances at DeShawn who has a pleased smile on his face, the cigar hanging from his lips. For a brief second V hesitates, feeling uneasy, because it seems like the three of them are looking right at him, right _through_ him. Even DeShawn’s eyes, V sees them glow behind his shades.

V inhales sharply, a small voice tells him to _RUN_ as a primal fear awakens deep inside his gut, and a cold shiver runs down his spine. He’s a sacrificial lamb thrown in a cage with three lions. He blinks and the feeling is gone, the small voice silenced. He stares at Dex, the fixer regards him with amusement. V shakes his head; it feels like he woke up from a trance.

He shouldn’t doubt him. After all, why would he doubt Dexter DeShawn? He’s a Night City legend. So what if this job is a bit more dangerous. No pain, no gain, as they say.

_I shouldn’t doubt Dex_ , V repeats in his head like a mantra. He reaches for his glass, suddenly thirsty. The wine flowing down his throat is sweet.

“Let’s talk about the details.” The fixer gestures at T-Bug. She refills V’s glass, then reaches for the device from the suitcase.

“Our friend here is the best hacker Night City has to offer,” Dex continues. “Dare I say, she’s the best hacker in the whole country.”

“Cut the crap, Dex,” T–Bug rolls her eyes. “I can get you inside Arasaka Tower, past the security cameras and disable the alarms long enough you two can get to Arasaka’s penthouse and grab the Relic.”

“That’s a fancy name for the urn you’re about to steal.” Dex leans back on the couch. “You two will stroll right in the Tower thanks to your false identities. I’m sendin’ you the deets. Case anyone asks, you there for a bogus meetin’ with Arasaka’s defense rep – Hajime Taki. You, gentlemen, are respected businessmen who’re about to sign a deal with him.”

“You gotta prepare and look presentable,” Jackie chuckles at V.

“I already purchased outfits for you and have them delivered to your places.” Dex says. He gestures at V. “You can’t get inside the Tower looking like this, whatever this _style_ is.”

V feels his cheeks heat up. His clothes have seen better days. Not to mention he got most of his clothes in a second hand shop, like the Samurai tank top. He can’t exactly afford to go to fancy boutiques when his wallet is empty.

“So we get inside Arasaka Tower and then what?” V asks, irritated. “We just waltz in and politely ask the old guy to give us that thing?”

Compared to the others he feels like some dirty street punk. It’s strange, this sudden need to impress them, especially the fixer. He reaches for his glass to take another sip. The alcohol they serve in this joint is weird yet addictive. It’s probably something that costs more than his monthly rent.

“Here’s the good news. Saburo Arasaka is not in Night City at the moment. With T–Bug’s help you slip into the penthouse and get the Relic. She’ll stay in contact with you for the whole time, disabling the Tower’s security so you get in and out without anyone noticing. Time for your burning questions.”

“We get that thing and then what?”

“If everythin’ goes as planned, you come back here. If things get sticky, head for the safe house.”

“Which is..?” V raises an eyebrow.

“The No–Tell Motel. Quiet, no questions asked. But I’m flat certain that won’t be necessary. Anything else?”

V considers for a moment. His and Jackie’s eyes meet, and Jackie gives him a smile. There’s no sign of hesitation in his eyes.

V shakes his head.

“Tomorrow is our one and only shot at stealing the Relic. So please, don’t fuck it up.” There’s a hint of threat in Dex’s fake friendly voice.

V lets out a sigh. “Alright. When do we meet?”

“Just after sunset. I’ll pick you up,” Jackie says, a confident smile on his lips. “This is it, V. Our Big Break.”

V wants to protest, express his doubts but once again his hesitation is gone before he can properly formulate his thoughts. He shouldn’t doubt Dexter DeShawn. The man has it all carefully planned. It all depends on V now.

“To summarize,” Dex speaks, surrounded by a cloud of smoke. “You two get through the front door with a suitcase. T–Bug will be inside already. She does her little hacking tricks and gets you boys to the top floor. You’re going in without guns, so this has to be taken care of quickly and quietly. You grab the urn, put it in the suitcase, then leave the Tower. We all meet back here. I’ll be waiting with eddies. Simple as that.”

V opens his mouth. He should ask about… He should say–

DeShawn’s eyes are on him again, the fixer stares right at V. He’s wearing shades and yet V is certain the fixer’s eyes are looking right through him, reading his mind like an open book.

Again, he blinks and the odd sensation is gone. He shouldn’t doubt Dex.

“Alright. I’ll see you later. Mister Welles, don’t forget the suitcase.”

“See you guys tomorrow,” T–Bug flashes them a smile before leaving the room.

Fear and need tug at V’s heart. In a moment of weakness he considers staying. It’s a ridiculous thought – why would he want to stay here anyway? He needs to prepare for tomorrow, for his _big job._

And yet…

“Let’s go, V.” Jackie pats his shoulder and picks up the suitcase.

V nods, mind empty. His body acts on autopilot when he follows Jackie outside the club, paying no attention to music blasting from speakers, scantily clad bodies of the strippers and their patrons. The expensive drink leaves a sweet taste on his tongue.

V jolts awake as if from slumber when Jackie’s car stops and he realizes their arrived right outside his building. He gives Jackie a confused look (did he fall asleep in the car? Why can’t he remember the ride?). Jackie smiles at him and all his worries are gone.

“See you after sunset.”

They shake hands, V nods and gets out of the car. He watches Jackie drive away, his mind devoid of thoughts.

* * *

Sitting in the passenger’s seat V feels himself sweating. He tugs at the collar of his fancy shirt, wishing he was wearing less layers. The clothes Dex got for them are deep blue tailored suits with matching ties and shoes. He checks his reflection in the side mirror. He looks _weird_.

What’s more weird, however, is that there’s no sign of bruising on his body. Not to mention that his nose seems to be completely healed. How that’s even possible – V has no idea. Perhaps the beating he got wasn’t that serious. Still, bruises don’t just disappear overnight.

He’ll worry about it later, once the job’s done and his pockets are full of eddies.

Jackie stops the car in front of the Arasaka Tower. He glances at V.

“Ready?”

V nods, unable to speak because of a ball formed in his throat. He could really use some of that expensive liquor Dex served them last night.

The earpiece he’s wearing comes to life as soon as they step inside the building.

“Go to the reception,” comes T–Bug’s voice. “Show your IDs and explain your business. Your personal information is already in the system, as well as the fake meeting.”

_I know what I’m doing, I’m not stupid_ , V wants to tell her but can’t, so he just grits his teeth as they walk through a spacious hall towards the reception desk in the middle of it. He lets Jackie do the talking while he discreetly looks around. Arasaka logos shine on almost every surface. He glances up to see a security camera pointed right at him. He resists he urge to pull on his collar, feeling himself sweating.

“That went well,” Jackie says once they get inside an elevator. He presses buttons to get to the highest floor available for guests. “Two respectable businessmen, nothing suspicious here.”

He winks. V glances at a camera above the door.

“Relax, I got the whole system under my control,” comes T–Bug’s voice. “I can see you, and will guide you to the penthouse. The elevator will stop at the highest floor, then you have to give me a moment so I can unlock the access to the top floor since we don’t have Arasaka’s card.”

V lets out a sigh. “Alright.”

Sounds easy. Doable. They already got inside, now they only need to grab that damn thing and get out.

_Easy_ , V tells himself. He doesn’t feel that sure about it but he has to be. This is his Big Moment.

The elevator dings but the door doesn’t open.

“Give me 20 seconds,” T–Bug’s voice is as calm as V wishes he was.

A moment passes. Then another. The elevator doesn’t budge.

“It’s not working,” V says.

“Give me a moment,” she hisses.

More time passes. Jackie taps his foot on the floor.

“It’s not working,” V repeats. He wills himself to stay calm. They can fuck up in many different ways; he sure hopes getting stuck in an elevator isn’t how this insane gig ends.

“Wait,” T–Bug tells them again. Even through the earpiece V can hear the tension in her voice.

“We _are_ fucking waiting,” V hisses. He’s no idea why he’s getting so riled up yet he can’t help himself. It’s like something fundamental changed about him overnight and he has no idea how or what.

“The elevator’s stuck,” comes Jackie’s voice. He sounds oddly calm despite the situation. “We don’t have much time until someone notices.”

T–Bug swears. “I can’t get this elevator to the top floor. The access is blocked, can’t get in. You need to get there in a different way.”

“Want us to climb the stairs all the way to the top?” V jokes. He hopes the answer is no.

Then the elevator begins to descend. “Small change of plans. Get out on the next floor. I’ll meet you there. We need to get to the security only elevator that’ll take you to Arasaka’s penthouse.”

With that T–Bug disconnects and V can’t hear her in the earpiece anymore. He gives Jackie a worried look.

“We’re still doing this,” Jackie says. Despite sounding confident there’s hesitation shining in his eyes. “Fortune favours the bold, right?”

V chews on his lower lip, tapping his foot on the floor. He feels _jumpy_ , energy buzzing inside him. Maybe it’s stress, the adrenaline kicking in.

The elevator stops, the door opens and the hacker is waiting for them. She gives them a half smile.

“Let’s go, boys.”

Contrary to V, she doesn’t seem to be nervous at all. V pulls on his collar again, the expensive suit be damned. He unties his tie, lets it dangle from his neck,

She leads them to a door on a side, taps the screen of the device she got from DeShawn. The door beeps and opens. They follow her through a narrow corridor to a small elevator. T–Bug presses a button on the wall to call it.

“I couldn’t hack other elevators to get you to the top,” she explains with a pang of annoyance in her voice. “But this one is for Arasaka staff only, and goes all the way to the penthouse. The cameras,” she points at the corners of the walls, “are showing an empty corridor on a loop, we’re safe for now.”

“You sure?” V quirks an eyebrow.

“Yes, kid, I’m sure,” she barks.

“Kid?” V scoffs. She doesn’t look older than him. In fact, she looks younger, so calling him a _kid_ is completely out of place.

“Let’s… not.” Jackie interrupts before they begin bickering. “You’ll wait in the elevator, right? We can all leave the building together. Once we grab the _thing_ , I’ll get the car and you can walk right out with the suitcase. We can meet in the alley behind the Tower and drive to _Afterlife_.”

“Let’s get this done, then,” T–Bug says with confidence that begins to get on V’s nerves.

Is he the only one sweating like a pig? Rage courses through his veins but when he wonders why the hell he’s so angry, he doesn’t understand it himself.

The elevator doors open with a _ding_ and all air is kicked out of V’s chest.

Two guards in full uniforms stop mid step at the sight of three people who have no business being in this part of the building. Their eyes are on V, one of them reaches for a pistol on his belt. In the longest second of V’s life, he feels his blood turn to ice.

“I believe you’re needed by the reception.” T–Bug’s voice comes out of nowhere. She stares right at the two guards, speaking in a calm, almost relaxed voice. V turns his head to look at her. There’s something unnatural in the way she’s speaking, like she is…

_Casting a spell on the guards._

It sounds so stupid V frowns, immediately dismissing the thought. Jackie pulls him aside to let the guards pass. The men leave them without any questions. V feels being pushed inside the elevator, T–Bug presses a button marked PENTHOUSE, and the door closes.

V gives her a confused look. “What was that?”

“We’ll talk about it _later_ ,” she insists, looking straight in his eyes.

V wants to protest–

He doesn’t want to. There’s nothing to talk about. Nothing strange happened.

He takes a deep breath. He feels dizzy just for a moment.

The elevator ride is short and soon they step out to a spacious room with black walls and large windows. The hacker looks at the device in her hand, moving to the elevator door to block it from closing.

“The Relic must be here. The sooner you find it, the sooner we can leave.”

Jackie nods at V. “Let’s go.”

This appears to be the main room of Arasaka’s penthouse. It’s bigger than V’s entire apartment. There are double doors leading somewhere, and another door open to reveal a bedroom. In the middle of the room there’s a small table with two armchairs. Next to them there’s something like an art installation, a glass pillar with water cascading down. V stares at it in disbelief.

_So this is what rich people are buying with all their money..?_

On the other side of the room there’s a countertop with various alcohols and glasses. Jackie walks up to it and inspects the bottles. He lets out a low whistle.

“Can you hurry up, maybe?” Comes T–Bug annoyed voice. “Do you see the Relic?”

V looks around. Other than a set of stairs leading upstairs, there’s not much in here.

“There has to be a safe here. Where is it?” V glances at the hacker.

“Let me check.” She frowns at the device in her hands. “In the corner, under the floor. Look for a switch.”

V and Jackie inspect the floor but find nothing. V tugs at his collar again. If only he could take this damn suit off. Annoyed by the tie, he pushes it in his pocket.

“Check the bedroom,” the hacker instructs.

Jackie moves walks across the room. V takes a calming breath that doesn’t calm him down in the slightest. Another long moment passes until he hears something click under the floor, and panels slide open to reveal a safe.

“Give me two,” T–Bug says, and this time she means it. The safe clicks open.

There’s not much inside other than the urn Dex showed them on his phone. V weighs it in hand. It’s quite heavy, looks old, like an artefact from a distant past. A simple lid protects its contents. No matter how curious, V won’t open it, there’s no time. He puts the damn thing inside the suitcase.

A helicopter can be heard flying outside. Jackie frowns, eyes glued to the huge windows.

“We’ve got visitors.”

V considers asking him how can he know the helicopter landed on the Tower, when they hear T–Bug swear.

“Someone’s going in the elevator. And someone else is going down from the landing pad. Find cover.”

_Who..?!_ V wants to ask but Jackie grabs him by the arm. He frantically looks around, his eyes fall on the strange pillar. He bangs his hand on it, revealing a hidden door at the back.

_How did you know..?!_ V screams in his mind but keeps his mouth shut. _Something_ makes him keep his mouth shut. They squeeze inside a narrow space between the glass walls.

Jackie gives him a look. For a brief moment, his eyes seem to glow in an unnatural way. V feels something like an invisible hand squeeze his throat. He can’t speak even if he tried. Then the odd sensation passes but he doesn’t make a sound, his entire body tense. The earpiece is silent.

The lights in the penthouse turn on as the main door open and a man walks inside.

V’s stomach turns at the sight of the creature. He takes a sharp breath, forcing himself to avoid making any other sounds.

It’s more a monster than a man. His head is bald, skin scarred and grey like a stone. He has pointy ears and a pair of red glowing eyes. He resembles a man – if someone had clay and made an attempt to create a person without quite knowing what to do. He’s the tallest man V’s ever seen. His body is massive. He’s in full gear similar to other Arasaka guards.

The monstrous man stops in the middle of the room and looks around. His eyes focus on the waterfall for a second. V’s entire body freezes. He is looking right at him. He has to know V and Jackie are hiding here, that they broke into Arasaka’s personal apartment and took the urn.

The man turns around and walks back to the door. He stops there, blocking it, waiting. V slowly lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

Then Jackie curses, and they both realize the situation got even worse.

Saburo Arasaka descends the stairs followed by his son, Yorinobu. V’s knowledge of their family is limited; what he knows is that Yorinobu is the next in line to rule Night City once Saburo is dead. Now that V sees the old man, he appears to be in a far better condition that other men his age. V frowns, unsure how old Saburo Arasaka is actually. The Emperor has ruled NC for all eternity, it seems.

Yorinobu sits down on one of the chairs, his head bowed. The older man keeps his hands behind his back as they talk. They’re speaking in Japanese though from what V can tell they’re having some sort of argument. He glances at Jackie who observes the two men with a tense look.

Yorinobu gets up, paces in front of the pillar, visibly upset. V frowns, observing the man; there’s something odd about him. His movements are so fluid and seem too fast for V’s eyes to follow. Saburo, on the other hand, stands still. His face is so pale he resembles a statue. He must be very old, yet he doesn’t look a day older than sixty.

Yorinobu points a finger at his father, his voice growing more impatient. The older man takes a few steps, closer to the pillar. They stand in front of where V and Jackie are hiding, one looking at the other with a cold glare. There’s no mistaking it, there’s no love between these two.

Suddenly Yorinobu winces in pain as if stricken. He wobbles on his feet, takes a step back. Saburo stands still, eyes focused on his son. The monstrous man by the door doesn’t react. Yorinobu falls on his knees, his face twisted in pain.

Then he lets out a soft chuckle. It seems so odd it surprises the older Arasaka who looks at his son with a slight confusion.

“ _Yorinobu!_ ” Saburo warns his son, his voice like a knife, sharp and dangerous.

Yorinobu gives him a smug smile.

It happens fast, faster than V’s mind can follow. In one second Yorinobu is still kneeling on the floor, in the next he’s behind the older man, one hand holding his shoulder, with the other pushing Saburo’s head to the side to expose his neck. It’s so bizarre to see something like this happening V doesn’t believe it at first. Because here he is, hiding from the Arasakas while attempting to steal some artefact from them, and Yorinobu grabs his father as if he was trying to–

V’s mind goes blank. Saburo’s lips open in a silent scream as Yorinobu bites into his neck.

Saburo Arasaka cries out in pain, reaching a trembling hand towards the monstrous man who observes the scene with disinterest. Yorinobu holds him in an iron grip, his teeth digging into his flesh. Saburo tries to shake him off but without luck. The slurping is obscene, making V’s stomach turn. Yet he can’t look away, captivated by the morbid spectacle.

V watches in horror as the old man’s body falls on the floor, lifeless. Yorinobu stands above him, blood drips from his lips on his expensive suit. He falters, squeezes his eyes shut, then he straightens his back and lets out a moan of pleasure. There’s a pinkish blush on his previously morbidly pale cheeks.

V glances at Jackie, trying to comprehend what he’s just seen. _This has to be some sick joke, right?_ He wants to ask his companion. Jackie doesn’t react, his eyes focused on Yorinobu, his jaw tense. It seems like he actually understands what’s happening, no sign of confusion or dread visible on his face.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Yorinobu spits. He wobbles on his feet again, shakes his head, before reaching for his phone. He appears drunk, mad, or both. He types on his phone like nothing happened, a satisfied grin on his lips.

Just when V thinks it’s over he notices Saburo’s corpse change. It’s slow at first, his skin cracks, resembling an old parchment. Then his whole body collapses like it was made of dry clay. Like he wasn’t human at all. Yorinobu scoffs in annoyance and takes a step back while his father’s body disintegrates into dust. Soon there’s nothing left of the Emperor of Night City other than a pile of ash on the hardwood floor.

Yorinobu jerks up his head and looks around. His lips twist in an ugly snarl.

“Check the elevator,” he commands.

A chill creeps up V’s spine. _T–Bug._

The man, monster, or whatever he is, rushes to the elevator on the side and rips the door open with his hands. From where they’re hiding, V can’t see what’s happening but he hears T–Bug’s blood chilling shriek. A sound of a wet crunch makes a shiver run down his spine, and then he sees the woman crawling on the ground, away from the monstrous man. She leaves blood smudged on the ground, terror painted on her face. Realising there’s a hole in her body, as if something punched right through her, V presses hands to his face to cover his mouth. He can’t control his breath, his heart beating so fast he’s sure the others can hear it.

The man stalks after T–Bug, places his boot on her back, pressing her to the floor. She whimpers and cries out, struggling in vain.

_Close your eyes_. V hears Jackie’s voice echoing in his mind and obeys. He still hears a wet crunch following T–Bug’s cry that suddenly stops.

When V opens his eyes he sees the hacker’s body pierced to the ground with what looks like a metal baton the police use. Her lifeless eyes are wide open.

Yorinobu Arasaka watches it all in silence. He twists his lips at the sight of the woman’s corpse. “Who the fuck is this?”

The monstrous man licks his bloody fingers. “Tastes like a Ravnos witch to me.”

Arasaka lets out a streak of curses in Japanese. He presses some buttons on his phone’s screen, the whole room darkens, lights changing to red. The sound of alarm blares in the distance.

“The place is on lockdown. Search everywhere, I doubt she was alone. Then get down and deal with my father’s dogs. I’ve got no use of them.”

Yorinobu leaves the room, shutting the door behind him. The monster scans the room again but this time he looks right at V. His glowing eyes stare right at him for what seems like all eternity. Then he moves, going straight to where V and Jackie are hiding.

_Run_ , comes a voice. It’s Jackie but he’s not speaking to V, instead the voice echoes in V’s mind.

“What..?” he mumbles, suddenly feeling weak. It’s too much, the blood, the monstrous man, Arasaka’s disintegrated body.

He’s pushed outside the pillar. There’s a loud noise of glass breaking when the monster reaches right through it to grab at the air where V was standing mere seconds ago.

_Go!_

V doesn’t think. The command comes and he has to obey. Jackie’s voice sounds different, it has power, the kind that’s impossible to object. He moves as fast as he can, focused on one singular goal: he has to sprint across the room to the door and get out.

He doesn’t make it.

V loses his balance as the monster rushes at him, grabbing his calf. He hits the ground, cries out in pain feeling sharp claws digging into his flesh. He rolls on his back and freezes, seeing the man hovering above him.

He’s not human. He can’t be human. His eyes glow with something akin to hunger, and V feels his mind break into pieces the more he stares into these eyes.

A sudden growl wakes V up from the trance as Jackie grabs the man in his waist, lifts him up in an impossible display of strength and throws him across the room like an unwanted toy. The monster lands on the countertop with bottles of alcohol, breaking it all and falling on the floor. The suitcase and T–Bug’s device land by V’s feet.

“Get out of here, now!” Jackie yells at him. He seems to be glowing, and his _teeth_ –

V stays frozen in place, both frightened and captivated by the change in Jackie. Those are fangs, or is he seeing things?

“For fuck’s sake, V! _Run_!”

The last word drills right into V’s mind and he jumps up on his feet, mindlessly obeying the command before he can think about it. He grabs the device in one hand, the suitcase in the other, and storms out of the room in blind panic. He pushes open a door to a staircase and runs, heart pounding in his chest.

His mind short–circuits, so he concentrates on running down the stairs. If he thinks even for a second about the events that happened and the things he’s seen, he’ll go crazy.

_Here_.

V blinks, almost misses a step. On top of everything he’s hearing yet _another_ voice in his head. He must be losing his mind.

The alarm is still blaring loudly. Panting like a madman he leans over the railing. Many floors below a group of Arasaka guards enters the staircase and begin to ascend the stairs, their rifles ready to shoot first, ask questions later.

_Here_. The voice is back. V curses, his eyes dart to the doors, he tries to push them open. They won’t budge.

Panic raises in his throat and he nearly chokes. Clothes cling to his skin drenched in sweat. He uses all his strength, yet the doors are locked tight. He checks the hacker’s device, pressing everything he can in blind panic. Suddenly the alarm stops. He doesn’t stop pressing each and every option T–Bug programmed on this thing. The guards downstairs start shouting, their voices echoing loudly between the walls.

Just when V is about to break the device in half, the lock clicks and the doors open. Not only this door but from the sound of it, all doors on this floor, if not in the whole building. The bad news is that the alarm returns, somehow even louder.

He rushes inside and winces when pain shoots up his leg. He’s leaving a trail of blood behind him because of the open wound in his calf where that monster tore into his flesh. V tears off a sleeve of his suit and wraps it around his leg. The fabric is soaked almost immediately. V continues running, grabs a handle on metal doors with his bloody hand, and stops momentarily seeing what he’s just found.

It’s a laboratory of sorts. Or used to be, now the equipment is covered with sheets of white fabric. V doesn’t recognize anything here, it all looks like some weird devices with too many buttons straight from a sci– fi movie. The other strange thing is that he can’t hear the alarm anymore. He glances at the door he’s just opened and stares at them in confusion. Thick, metal door, most likely very heavy – so how did he manage to push them open?

_Come_.

The whisper returns, calling out to him. V swallows, takes a breath, then approaches a window to the adjacent room. He stares wide open through the glass at the only thing left in the other room. It’s a box. A sarcophagus straight from a museum. It looks old and heavy, and completely out of place in the white, sterile room.

_Closer. Come closer_.

V’s body moves on his own. He opens a door connecting the two rooms, walks up to the sarcophagus. He puts his hand on the lid, smearing his blood on the cold stone.

V takes a shaky breath, his heart beating loudly. His senses return and he takes a step back. The sleeve he wrapped on his calf slides down his leg. Blood drips from his wound and stains the perfectly white floor.

There’s a loud bang.

It comes from inside of the sarcophagus.

V grabs the suitcase and flees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter begins with a version of the streetkid prologue, and the story will sometimes include dialogues from the game.  
> I’ll try to do my best to make the setting familiar to someone who’s never heard of World of Darkness, though I strongly suggest you give WoD a try because it’s worth it. Play Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines, it’s a great video game on its own.  
> If you’re reading this and know how things work in VTM please keep in mind this AU will be more ‘inspired by Vampire the Masquerade’ than ‘strictly following every rule from VTM’.  
> Not all characters from the game will be included in this fic. I’ll see how it goes, but for now I do want to include secondary characters like River or Misty.  
> The story is rated M for now although I’m hesitating if the rating should be E instead. If you have any thoughts on this please let me know. Also if anyone thinks I should include additional trigger warnings for something, comment below.  
> The title of this story is a song from Cyberpunk’s OST. There are two versions: [by Samurai](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN1RJF55NXI), the other [with female vocals](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4bKZT_Eg4A). I prefer the latter. Quotes at the beginning of each chapter are from various Vampire the Masquerade/World of Darkness sourcebooks.  
> The title of this chapter is a [song by Mumford & Sons](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXzDu071RdQ).  
> Comments are always appreciated.


	2. Supernova

> _Thou shall only Sire another with the permission of thine Elder._
> 
> _If thou createst another without thine Elder's leave, both thou and thy Progeny shall be slain._
> 
> \--- THIRD TRADITION: THE PROGENY

* * *

A big sign shines above an entrance to an old building. V stares at it, his mind barely registering it spells out _No–Tell Motel_. He doesn’t know how he managed to get here. It was a blur; he remembers breaking into a car parked behind the Tower, driving through the streets. The sound of police sirens seems to follow him everywhere he goes.

He stands in front of a room that’s supposed to be their safe house. V wonders if he should text or call Dex to say he’s waiting outside. Before he can make a decision the door open and a pair of strong hands pulls him inside. The door shut behind him.

He’s thrown on a dirty carpet, the suitcase falls from his hands. V winces, pain shoots up his leg. The wound on his leg is still bleeding, blood seeping through his fingers when he presses a hand to it.

The room is rather small, a huge double bed takes most of the space. Neon lights shaped like two hearts hang above it. There’s a small table with a chair currently occupied by DeShawn, and a flat TV on the wall opposite the entrance – it’s on but muted, showing a news channel. Two men, the fixer’s muscle, are also in the room. One, a tall guy with broad shoulders in a leather jacket that looks a size too small for him, moves to stand by the door, effectively blocking the only way of escape if V thinks about running away. The other is behind V, as if waiting for a command.

V narrows his eyes at the screen. A presenter is in front of Arasaka Tower, talking with a microphone in hand. With no sound it’s hard to say what the reporter is talking about, though upon seeing big red letters at the bottom of the screen saying _TERRORIST ATTACK?_ V winces again.

V’s eyes travel to Dex. The fixer exhales a cloud of smoke. As always he’s accompanied by two things: a cigar and red shades.

DeShawn is mad. His anger hits V like waves of an ocean. He can’t take his eyes off the man; there’s something odd about him. V doesn’t know what exactly did he see in Arasaka Tower, maybe they put some hallucinogenic stuff in the air and that made him see some weird shit, but _this_ … This is not natural.

When they met the other night, Dex seemed kind of… strange. V could never quite tell what was about the guy that made him seem odd. No matter what V thought he’s going to say, not matter what he decided to say, in the end he always agreed with Dex.

And he thought, _Well, it was Dex. And Dex was always right._

And somehow it made sense.

Until now.

Now V sees the man as he’s never seen him before. Dex is a big guy – he shouldn’t move like that. His movements are smooth, quick, as if time was an obstacle he defeated years ago and now could bend to his will. He gets up, the cigar falls on the floor and he crushes it under his boot. He paces in circles, snarling and cursing at V – it’s too fast, somehow, and V has to blink and force himself to focus. Dex’s movements are unnatural, and then there’s his eyes.

He’s still wearing his shades yet this time V can see his eyes clearly. They are like glowing red orbs and they look straight at V, making him shake in fear.

“Do you fucking have it or not?” Dex barks. “Show it to me!”

The command goes straight to V’s brain and his body acts on its own. Before he can even think about it, he’s already opened the suitcase and reached for the urn inside it, presenting it to Dex.

The fixer curses, grabs it from V’s hands. V feels sweat drip down his face. _What’s with Dex’s teeth..?_

This is such a silly question yet he can’t stop staring right at the man’s mouth. For a split second he thought he saw something like fangs. He wipes his forehead with his hand. His head is pounding. It’s too much, it’s all too fucking much, and he wants this damn night to be over.

A roar of anger makes V jump in his place. Dex smashes the urn on the ground. There’s nothing inside it. It breaks into pieces, littering the already dusty floor.

“Empty!” Dex huffs. Then his eyes are on V again. “Did you open it?”

V shakes his head so hard he fears he may break his neck. He doesn’t even think about his reactions, they simply happen. Unable to look away, he stares at his own reflection in the fixer’s shades, and two glowing orbs behind them.

“Did you do _anything_ with it?”

“I didn’t,” V mutters. “Took it from the safe, put it in the suitcase, ‘s all.”

His voice breaks. _Why am I shaking so much?_ He can barely think. There’s something pushing inside his head, invading his thoughts.

Dex curses again. He straightens his back. “Fucking Ventrue shits.”

V wants to ask what the hell is a _Ventrue_ and what was supposed to be inside the urn. He opens his mouth but feels a smack in the back of his head. His knees hit the floor and he winces in pain. When he lifts up his head, Dex is staring down at him, his glare pinning V to the ground.

“I had big hopes for you, kid,” DeShawn says, his eyes cold.

V shakes, eyes wide, starts to plead–

A kick lands on his side and he lets out a cry of pain. Hands search his suit’s pocket but don’t find anything as he left both his wallet and phone in his apartment, careful not to take any personal possessions with him for the job. Dexter’s bodyguards jump right at him, kicking him relentlessly until he can barely breathe. He coughs out blood, rolls on his side, powerless to stop them. He suddenly feels drained of energy. He hears a crack, cries out again, begs them to stop but they continue.

When they finally stop V lies motionless on the dirty floor, his entire body shaking. He has no energy left to move.

“Pick him up and put in the car. I need blood before I go fucking insane with all this shit. Cut off all communication. We’re leaving the city before this shitstorm can hit us.”

There’s something about Dex’s tone that makes him sound like a rabid animal. So much barely contained rage.

Someone picks him up and V gasps. He wants to protest but his eyelids are so heavy. He can’t fight it anymore, he needs to sleep. His body goes numb in a matter of seconds. It’s unnatural, he should pick himself up and _do something_. He’s been beaten, shot and stabbed before, that’s how life goes in Night City when you’re some streetkid trying to make a name for yourself.

But now it’s like he’s under a spell. He can’t move a finger. He’s been beaten to a pulp, has some bones broken, but he still should be able to put on a fight instead of just take it.

_So that’s how it ends, huh?_

No sounds of protests come out of his lips as he’s carried outside to the parking lot and thrown on a back seat of a car like a sack of potatoes. He feels the car shake when DeShawn gets inside and shuts the door with so much force it’s a miracle nothing breaks. The engine starts, he’s pulled to Dex, the man’s big hands gripping his shoulders with force, digging into his flesh. Dex’s hands are cold. His entire body is cold, it feels like V is pressed to hard marble. Or a dead body.

The fixer pushes his head to the side, exposing his neck, and all V can think about is, _How strange_ , before pain shoots through his whole body as sharp teeth bite into his neck. A weak moan escapes from his lips. Pain erupts from his neck, burns through him, spreading in his veins. The slurping he hears is obscene, disgust forms a ball in his throat but he can’t fight, his mind clouded. The car turns, Dex’s thugs driving through the underground parking to the ground level, and V’s head spins.

Fear washes over him. _I’m dying._

He takes a shallow breath. When he thinks he can’t take the pain anymore it stops so suddenly as if it was only an illusion, and turns into warmth spreading through his body. It’s not pain anymore, it’s pure pleasure, like his very soul was being kissed and caressed, and V feels his face flush as he closes his eyes and gives in to the desire. He emits another moan but this time of pleasure. The iron grip on his shoulder is no longer painful. If he could, he would move even closer, press his entire body to the man so he could feel more of this, squeeze the hand that holds him.

It matters little that the man is drinking his blood, that he was beaten, that the whole night has been something straight from a nightmare. V opens lips, his eyes roll back, desire coiling low in his gut. It doesn’t matter he’s getting weaker with every drop of blood he loses. He longs for this pleasure to last forever.

The car stops with a screech and V jolts forward. Dex still holds him but the man lifts up his head, the contact between them broken. V wants to tell him to continue, to sink his teeth in his flesh again, even though he’s no idea how these thoughts form in his head or what’s going on.

DeShawn’s thugs sitting in the front shout and shoot. Dex is shouting, too, but he stills when the door is ripped from the car and something pulls the man out to the parking lot. With the fixer gone, V collapses on the back seat, body numb. He squeezes his eyes shut. There’s so much noise attacking his brain; the men scream, something breaks and snaps with a wet crunch. It all seems to happen million miles away and at the same time right here and now. The sounds are muffled yet so clear V winces in pain. It’s all too much.

He feels himself dying. What’s little blood is left in him seeps through the wound on his leg and the bite on his neck, stains the back seat of Dex’s expensive car. No more pleasure, no more pain, only darkness as V feels his mind drift away.

_We only met at night_ , he idly thinks. He doesn’t know how he’s able to form the thought in his tormented mind.

_I’ve never seen him during the day._ Jackie’s smiling at him as they ride together in his car. He’s talking about some new gig. V wants to tell him he’s dying but he can’t find the words.

_How strange._

Jackie’s face disappears, replaced by darkness, but before the last breath leaves V’s body, someone pulls him out of the car on the cold floor of the parking lot. Something presses to his lips, a voice commands him, and he obeys.

He opens his lips and lets a hot liquid flow down his throat. Mindlessly, he swallows more and more until a terrible hunger awakens inside him and he presses his lips to a cut wrist offered to him.

He grips the stranger’s hand, his strength returning, and wants more, licking every drop of blood. A muffled moan escapes him, his body on fire. He needs more, he wants–

The arm is gone and he’s pressed to the ground with a boot placed on his chest. V gasps. Then he realises he’s not breathing anymore, and his eyes open in shock.

The boot is gone. A figure stands above him, and V blinks because his vision is blurry. He shakes his head, there’s a terrible ringing in his ears.

Then it all stops. The parking is silent. He hears the sounds of cars from outside. And people. He hears people talking like they are just behind him. His eyes adjust and he sees it all: he lies on the ground next to Dex’s car. Blood pools all around him, flowing from three men – or whatever’s left of them. Dexter DeShawn’s massive body lies not far from him. The man’s head missing.

Bile rises in his throat, V curls on the side and vomits. His entire body trembles before he throws up again. Something burns deep in his gut, it’s like hunger but the kind of hunger he’s never felt before. His gaze falls on the puddle of blood forming by one of Dex’s thugs and a small voice in V’s head demands he gets up and licks it. He shakes with disgust.

“Hey,” a voice calls out and snaps V back to reality.

V looks up at the man who’s standing there so casually, with hands on his hips. He has a lean but muscular body, quite tall, and wears nothing but torn pants. Intricate tattoos go up his left arm, making him look like he has a prosthetic arm.

The stranger leans in, his shoulder length black hair, dirty and tangled, frames his face like a cape. His eyes glow in a hypnotizing way.

“Wake the fuck up, kid. The night’s short and we gotta go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: title is a [song by Oomph!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuKsCk9GVs4)

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always appreciated.


End file.
